News for Blackberry fan..

[softech]

but sad news:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/technology/planned-5g-blackberry-smartphone-reportedly-dies-crushing...

[Anonymous]

 @softech : I don't have much interest in using data of another phone to accomplish this. Nor am I using a BB for this purpose. I have an A31. I liked your idea of using the hotel tv input port ...if I can get at it. For either the chromecast or cable. But my phone doesn't allow the cable method. And it seems some hotels may block chromecasts from connecting to their network.

Aren't we all planning trips? 🙂

 @Korth : Absolutely all kinds of variables. As I've already found. Can't switch input ports. Can't connect to hotel networks.

[softech]

@Anonymous   easiest is to get another phone to make your hotspot for your Chromecast and your BB.. but again, you need to get through changing the HDMI port on the TV

so, planning trip?

[Korth]

@Anonymous 

There could be all sorts of problems. I don't understand all the specific technicals, they're too comprehensive and they keep changing. The main problem - the real problem - is that consumer audio and video appliances (especially TVs) keep changing, different cables and interfaces and specs and versions all the time. It's a nice mix of open standards and proprietary lock-ins in an industry which keeps trying to upsell and upgrade. Every TV set has its own built-in logic which transcodes and transcales and filters and converts those files and pixels in ways nobody outside the factory can understand.

And Chromecast has always been a buggy thing. Always a crapshoot unless you carefully research which combinations of files, formats, versions, devices, and displays are known to work together. If it doesn't work then there's really not much you can do other hope and pray while you wiggle some connectors and reboot your devices.

But one thing I do understand well enough is the encoding and codecs on the signal itself. Can't help you with weird adapters and inexplicable incompatibilities. I recommend you install a decent media app like VLC or Plex which will properly handle (almost) all known codecs and formats and signalling for you. It doesn't always work. But it usually works. And at least it eliminates one side of the problem out of your troubleshooting.

[Anonymous]

 @softech : Well sure, the chromecast works fine at home. But after passing one hurdle of so much as changing to an input for it (which duh could be solved by using the tv service port)...the next hurdle became whether the hotel network would allow a chromecast to connect to its network.

I searched around for an external MHL converter/adapter but I'm not sure such a thing exists. And I still have USB-C V2.

[softech]

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@Anonymous wrote:

The problem seems to be a thing called MHL or Mobile High-Definition Link. I don't think USB-C V2 has it. Or my phone doesn't anyway.

Yes I've tried two of those cables. The thought just occurred to me to look at usb-c V2 out to analog video. The quality wouldn't be very good but at least maybe it would display...if the tv has the input and way to change to it.

Edit: oh right...if I could get to the hotel tv service HDMI port then maybe. I hadn't thought of that either.

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Oh yet, MHL, used to need to buy an MHL adaptor, i might have one for my BB, too.. with Chromecast so convenient these days, who wants this anymore.

[Anonymous]

The problem seems to be a thing called MHL or Mobile High-Definition Link. I don't think USB-C V2 has it. Or my phone doesn't anyway.

Yes I've tried two of those cables. The thought just occurred to me to look at usb-c V2 out to analog video. The quality wouldn't be very good but at least maybe it would display...if the tv has the input and way to change to it.

Edit: oh right...if I could get to the hotel tv service HDMI port then maybe. I hadn't thought of that either.

Edit again: but a hotspot would use data. Yes I could imagine that would work.

[softech]

@Anonymous   or bring another phone to create a Hotspot yourself... a bit trouble.. but it works

[softech]

@Anonymous   you tried HDMI cable?

AmazonBasics High-Speed Micro-HDMI to HDMI Cable - 6 Feet : Amazon.ca: Electronics

For hotel TV, usually try to unplug all the network cable that goes into the TV.. might even want to unplug its HDMI and plug into yours

[Anonymous]

I can connect a bluetooth keyboard and a bluetooth mouse to my phone. The struggle I have is mirroring or casting the screen up to a hotel tv.

One instance, I couldn't change to a different HDMI port input whether a button on the tv or the remote. Another instance the hotel network didn't seem to let a chromecast connect to their network.

I'm still trying to think about how I can bridge a hotel wifi network and output my own subnetwork so that maybe that chromecast would work.

My phone doesn't have the right stuff to connect a USB-C cable out to HDMI. The cable exists. But the phone needs some other tech to allow that to go out the USB-C. Seems to be USB V2 on the phone is likely the problem.

And hey, on topic...the Z30 and Z10 both had an HDMI port. They mirrored no problem. (as long as I could change the input of course)

[Korth]

If only smartphones were compatible with wireless keyboards. Like these little "Android box" keyboards which would easily fit in your pocket. (I suppose it would be just as easy to make smartphones compatible with the keyboards on your laptop/etc, but there's no point in typing anything on a smartphone if you've already got a laptop in front of you.)

The keyboards are compatible, of course. They advertise it proudly.

The smartphones aren't compatible, of course. iPhones are especially incompatible. There are ways to make things work, for a while, but they're clunky and hacky and delicate, always prone to breaking. A very deliberate design choice made by the OEMs - to "protect" your device and your "security", they always say - because they do not want to open up their platforms for third-party opportunists to jump on board. Nobody else makes money on their platform. Nobody else "steals" money (which they feel rightfully belongs to them) on their platform.

[runaway]

I personally find having a phone with good haptic for keyboard makes my accuracy pretty close to a physical keyboard, so I never saw a reason for one. Would have been nice to see another blackberry phone though.

[softech]

@Korth   Yes, slider keyboard is great.. i miss my Torch 9800.

I think Samsung S8 keyboard case is a great idea.. sad it never flies

@darkomega   i know many people who loves the keyboard.  They hold on to BB for the longest time.. sad there is no more good keyboard phone anymore and they have no choice but to move on..

[Korth]

Slider keyboard is the best! Real tactile buttons. Along with the usual android touchscreen stuff.

I used my beloved LG Eclypse for almost eight years. Could've kept it going years more. Even though I had to DIY all repairs, hunt for discontinued parts to modify, build my own battery, service the hardware, hack the firmware, mod the software, etc.

I had to eventually abandon and the retire the device. It still worked fine. But it was just too gutless and clunky compared to newer toys, 2011-era iPhone3-equivalent devices just don't have enough oomphf to cut it circa 2018. And it had become more difficult every year to keep compatibility with current apps and websites, to install layers on top of layers, upgrading upgrades which were themselves discontinued years ago, no longer supported, suffering from version compatibility issues.

I hope you Blackberry folks can enjoy the same longevity from your EOL products. Though I suspect these days the proprietary lock-ins will force device obsolescence (and replacement) at a much faster rate.

Alas, smartphones with tactile keyboards were always a niche which had avid fans but lacked substantial popularity. They're probably gone forever.

[darkomega]

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@softech wrote:

if it let many more Android makers to use the BB Keyboard, i think it will still have market for couple years.  Those BB Keyboard lovers would be willing to pay just for the keyboard

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There are other clones that have the keyboard, they didn't sell well.

[softech]

if it let many more Android makers to use the BB Keyboard, i think it will still have market for couple years.  Those BB Keyboard lovers would be willing to pay just for the keyboard

[darkomega]

Meh, the company is horribly mismanaged.